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Newsletter Hawaii Army Museum Society Winter 2018 A Museum Visit Inside This Issue PG. 2 From the Desk of the Executive Director The U.S. Army Museum of Hawaii Hours: PG. 3 - 4 Tuesday through Saturday An Excerpt from the Book, “The Go For Broke Spirit” 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM Curator’s Corner PG. 5 - 6 Highlights of the 2018 Ihe Awards MUSEUM STORE HOURS: PG. 7 - 8 Tuesday through Saturday An Introduction to our Newest Board Member, Virgil “Duz” Packett, II 10 AM until 5:00 PM PG. 9-10 CLOSED Christmas and New Year’s Day In Memory of William “Bill” Paty, Jr. Hawaii Army Museum Society From the Desk of the Executive Director HAMS 2018 Officers and Aloha, Board of Trustees The last several months have been one of great change and transition. Sadly, we lost three of our board members, Francis PRESIDENT/TREASURER Mossman, Henry Kuniyuki, and Bill Paty. While I did not have the pleasure of working with them, many of our membership have conveyed how their support and sponsorship Jimmie R. Lackey in the future will be greatly missed. Change always comes with many ups and downs PRESIDENT EMERITUS and HAMS is no exception. David A. Bramlett On the bright side we have a new Board of Trustee, Virgil “Duz” Packett, II. I’ve included a brief bio of his background in this issue. Like most of us, he’s hit the ground 1st VP/SEC running. Even though he wasn’t on island, he was still reaching out to his contacts Charles N. Cardinal assisting with sponsorship concerning the Ihe Ceremony. I think you’ll all agree he’ll be a great asset to the team. Please welcome him on board! VICE PRESIDENTS In addition to my day to day responsibilities, I’ve been looking at many of our current Samuel Aucoin systems and identifying areas of improvement or additional resources for HAMS to Leslie Bise capitalize on. Upcoming changes are to include our website and our audio tours. While Simeon Q. Miranda both have functioned well on our behalf the past ten years, we are in need of a fresher newer product to take us into the next decade. Accordingly, we’ve identified several Walter M. Ozawa vendors who are quite familiar with the non-profit world and are sympathetic to many Gerry Silva of our constraints. In light of our challenges, we will be implementing a new website within the next six months as well as a new audio system to support the museum MEMBER-AT-LARGE experience. Edward Y. Hirata The website will continue to include a link to our Museum Store so that on-line sales may TRUSTEES continue. But we will be adding an Education page to spotlight not only our JROTC tours, but future education tours from the DOE. We recently located some information Virgil “Duz” Packett, II on a fully accredited middle school program that was developed via the U.S. Army Charles B. Salmon, Jr. Museum in Fort Belvoir, VA and hope to receive a copy of the curriculum and adapt it David M. Shanahan for use at the U.S. Army Museum in Hawaii. Thomas L. Stirling, Jr. Another addition will be our “Donate” page which will allow members the ability to Philip M. Whitney, Jr. renew their membership via the internet, sponsor events via the internet, as well assist Francis J. Wiercinski the museum with information concerning artifact donation. These changes allow everyone local and on the mainland to take advantage of some of our services remotely. TRUSTEES EMERITUS But don’t worry, if you’re “old school”, we will continue to offer a postal option Ronald T. Y. Choo concerning sponsorship and membership renewal. Mildred M. Courtney Don’t forget to check out our highlights on the 21st Annual Ihe Award Ceremony. MG Donald L. MacGregor Robert G. F. Lee was honored for his support of the military, veteran, and civilian Barbara F. Mills communities as well as his work with at-risk Hawaii youth. A great time had by all!! We are currently working on next year’s date and will let you know once things are Victoria W. Olson solidified. Edward V. Richardson As a final note, the holiday season is quickly approaching. From all of us here at HAMS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR we wish you a very healthy, happy, and joyous holiday season! As well as a prosperous Cynthia L Duncan new year!! Mele Kalikimaka! Cyndi 2 Hawaii Army Museum Society “Southern drawl” was “Oooooobaaaah…..you want to be coouurrt-martialed?” Ron later said, “You did what you were told to do.” Eventually, he seemed to take on his job with pride. Like himself, all the “Hawaii Boys” grew up with similar family values he called “Shushin” – respecting others, sharing, and taking care of one another. However, they were also taught “Bushido” or the “Samurai way” of fighting. As told by one Issei father, “If you die you die, no bring shame to the family.” He said these morals helped them be better soldiers in battle. Maybe that’s why they fought so hard. Even mainland boys wanted to fight along with the Hawaii boys, as they knew they would never leave them behind. Even as a cook he was near the frontlines, bringing food to the soldiers. Unfortunately, carrying the wounded back, ducking in others’ foxholes during a barrage, and An excerpt from “The Go for Broke Spirit” book by Shane Sato have a coffee cup he just poured explode by a sniper’s bullet was all too common. He and his crew even Ronald “Ron” Oba wandered through a minefield as they were returning Born: December 5, 1922, Aiea, Oahu F Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, US Army from delivering food. That is more dangerous than any episode of Hell’s Kitchen! As we all know, all Japanese Growing up near Pearl harbor as a kid, Ron Oba grew up on rice! One time, he was told by the head cook witnessed the actual bombing by the Japanese, Hearing to make rice pudding with the rice. He said, “You sounds of “fireworks” and then thunderous “booms,” he wanna get me beat up doing that to the rice?” No way ran outside, and he said it was like a “chain reaction” was he going to serve that to the boys! He was a seeing the battleships explode one after another on diplomat when it came to the rice rations and found battleship row. He saw a torpedo bomber right after he ways to trade potatoes and coffee for rice. He seems dropped his torpedoes amazingly fly right above him. happy talking about how he made specialties like Beef Ron said he could see that the pilot, in his big goggles and Hekka, soy sauce from beef bouillon, potatoes au gratin, furry hoodie, looked Japanese. The plot was looking and, of course, famous premium rice dishes. down at him with a “quizzical look,” staring at a kid looking back up who looks like him! He probably was Ron has thought about all the men he served with. So wondering if he was bombing the correct islands. As the many times he heard or did hear wounded men saying, plane flew by, Ron saw the Japanese “Red Zero” insignia. “I’m okay, go help the others.” When the medic finally He was in shock, thinking, “That can’t be a Japanese returned, the man had died. So selfless in character, but plane, Japan is too far away!” It hadn’t occurred to him a life lost in the end. This character still exists today as and his friends that they were now at war. It must have all the men I spoke with always said, “I’m not been like a movie in their eyes. important. He is (pointing to a friend).” Another famous line is, “I’m not a hero, the ones who did not Being in the Army, he never thought he would be asked to be a cook. He even told his commanding officer he come back are the heroes.” I hope they will understand that they are ALL important, and all of their stories are came to fight, not to cook! The officer’s response in his for the future generations. Otherwise, unfortunately, the stories and our history are lost and die as well. 3 Hawaii Army Museum Society Curator’s Corner An update from our Museum Curator, booklet. Please welcome him to our museum family and Allison Ramsey hope to see you on your next visit!! There’s a new face in the museum. For me, learning more about the Army Museum of You may see a new face flitting Hawaii's collection and the stories the artifacts have to tell around during your upcoming visits to Allison Ramsey, Curator, U.S. Army is one of the best parts of being the museum's curator. With the museum. Meet our slightly Museum of Hawaii a finite amount of space in our exhibit areas, it follows that feathered friend, the Oozlefinch! we have some This bird, which flies tail foremost to keep the dust out of interesting artifacts in its eyes, first showed his face in the early 1900’s at Fort our storage areas as Monroe, Virginia, location of the Coast Artillery School. well. Luckily, I have He lived here for many years on the mantle at the Fort the opportunity here to Monroe Club, absorbing all of the information concerning share some of them the Board of Artillery, which produced the Drill with you.

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